Continuous-film kinetoscope.



G. B. GILLESPIE.

CONTINUOUS FILM KINETOSCOPE.

APPLICATION IILED PEB.2,1909.

928,443. Patented July 20, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C. B. GILLESPIE- CONTINUOUS FILM KINETOSGOPE.

APPLIOATION FILED FBB.2,1909.

- ammwtoz Gama" flc awk 4;

wi/mwo f M 23M,

CHARLES E. GILLESPIE, OF RIDGEVILLE CORNERS, OHIO.

CONTINUOUS-FILM KINETOSCOPE Specification of Letters Patent.

l Patented July 20, 1909.

Application filed February 2, 1909. Serial No. 475,652.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, (nAnLEs B. GILLES- PIE, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Ridgeville Corners, Henry county, in the State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Continuous-Film Kinetoscopes, of which the following is a s ecification.

This invention relates to the feed and take-up reels of those kinetoscopcs or moving-picture machines in which a continuous film is fed from one reel to another in the operation of the machine; and it relates more particularly to means by which the film may e drawn from the interior or middle convolution of the film roll in the feed reel, and means by which rewindin g such films is rendered unnecessary. The leading object of the present invention is to so construct a film reel for such a paratus that one. and the same reel may e employed first as a feed reel and then as a take-u reel, and so on alternately without rewindmg the film.

Another objeet is to so construct the imroved reel that the film at all times, exceptmg at most a few fectthereof, is inclosed in a fire-proof magazine, transferable with the reel proper andlllm, whereby the danger and delay'incident to removing the recl'from one magazine andinserting it irranother are avoided. i

' Other objects will be setforth in the gen eral description which follows.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations'of -parts,-and in a continuous film kinetoscope or moving-picture machine embodying such combinations or. any of them, -as hereinafter described and claimed.

Two sheets of" drawings accompany this specification as' parts thereof. Figure l is a side view're general'combin ation of parts; i :1 2 1s a perspective viewofa combined n1 reel and magazine detached; Fig. 3 is a face view on a resenting the lar re'r scale of thecentral part or hub of the rec detached; Fig; 4 is a corresponding view of said hub with itsface plate broken away; 'Fig'."5' is a back view of t e same; Fig. ,6is a sectional side view of the reel and lts supporting bracket in its feed-reel position, on the same scale as Figs. 3-5, the hub being shown in section on he line Aw-B .Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a like view of the reel and its take-up bracket in its takem'p reel position, with the hub in seclilm on the line C-D Fig. 3.;v Fig. 8

E represents a sectional edge view of the combined film reel and ing an edge view of its hub on the same scale as Figs. 3-7; and Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the take-up bracket projected from Fig. 7.

Like reference in all the figures.

Apart from a pair of combined film reels and magazines, a and b, a feed-reel bracket, 0, and a single feature of the take-up reel bracket, d, of novel construction, as hereincharacters refer to like parts combination of parts represented by Fig. 1 may tion, the details of which form no part of the present invention. a

In common with the apparatus described and claimed in my previous specification forming part of an a filed June 17, 1908, an allowed December 1, 1908, Serial No. 444089, said general oonrbination of parts, Fig. 1, includesa picture projecting lantern, e,,and a feed mechanism, f, which may be of any known or improved forms to which the improved parts of the present ap aratus are ormay be applicable, including t rose of machines now in use; and a frame, g, common to said lantern and feed mechanism, and which can be tilted to support said lantern and feed mechanism at any required angle; and said feed-reel bracket, 0, is constructed withsections, 1 and 2, connected with each other bya clan-1p hinge, 3, having a transverse horizontal-axis, so as. to provide for keeping the axis of the feed reel (a) vertical when said frame 9 is tilted; each of said combined film reels and anagazines a and l) is moreover constructed with a panshaped main part, 4, and, a hub part. 5, which in the feed-reel position (a) operate on the same general'principle as those of the feed reel described and claimed said previous" specification. j; To that extent the said previousspecification. In the present improved cons-tructioi-i, said main ree part ,4 constitutes a part of the reel magazine, its rim being provided with a-film passage, 6, Fig. .Z;,etc.,=and with a )air of flame-trap rolls, 7 and 8. theneat. T e other magazine member is a lid-shaped annular part, 9, Fig. 11, etc., connected w th said main part 4 by a suitable hinge, 1-0 and a suit able fastening, 11, at, diametrically opposite points, and constructed .witha flameguard, 12, around magazine detached, show after described, the remainder of the general.

all be of known or improved construc-' plication for patent present improvement is additional to that of.

its inner circumference interacting with a flame-guard curb, 13, Figs. 3, 6, 7 and 8, on the face plate, 14, of said hub part 5. A hollow spindle, 15, rojects rearward from said-face late 14 wlthin the hub 5,'and is fitted to t 1e bore of another hub-part, 16, fixedly attached within said main reel art 4 at its center. Compare Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive. T he construction is such that either of these parts 15 and. 16 may turn freely with reference to the other. The bore of said spindle 1.5 is fitted in common to avertical center pin, 17, at the extremity of said feedreel bracket 0, as in Fig. 6, and to the carrying end of the spindle, 18, of said take up bracket d, Fig. 7; each of them being constructed with a lug, 19, to interact with a notch, 20, Fig. 5, in the free or rear end of the spindle 15. A nut, 21, Figs. 6-8, interacting with the screw-threaded extremity of said rear end of the spindle 15, and with the rear face of said hub part 16, which may be recessed to accommodate the nut, renders the reel parts 4 and 5 inseparably united with each other, as regards the operation of the apparatus, but so that the main part 4 may rotate freely around the hub part 5 in the feed-reel arrangement, Fig. 6; or the hub part 5 may rotate freely within said main part 4 in the take-up reel arrangement, Fig. 7. Said hub part 5 of each of the combined film reels and magazines or and bis further constructed with an annular piece, 22, L-.

shaped in cross section, rigidly attached to the back of said face plate 1.4, and which forms an end portion parallel with said face plate and provided in common therewith with bearings for trunnions on the ends of a series of rolls, 23 and 24, forming the peripheral contact surface of the hub 5, and consisting of a sufficient number of cylindrical rolls (23) and a tapered roll (24) having its large end in front or adjoining said face plate 14. A cylindrical delivery roll, 25, is supported at a suitable angle ad'acent to said tapered roll 24 bet-ween a beveled surface of the ace plate 14 and an oblique projection, 22, Figs. 4-6 adjoining a slot in sa d annular iece 22. Asecond delivery roll, 26, turns free y on a rigid spindle, 26 projecting obli uely outward from the face plate 14, paralldi with the axis of said roll 25. An inelosu're for said delivery rolls 25 and 26 and an inclosed clear path between them are formed by an openmg, 14', in said face plate 14, a curb, 27, at

' tached externally thereto, and a lid, 28, connected with said curb by a hinge, 29, and a fastening, 30. When this lid is unfastened and opened, as in dotted lines in Fig. 6, the

film may be engaged edgewise with said delivery roll 26; and when said-lid is closed and fastened, the. re uired protection against fire is extended to the outer side of that roll.

A rigid hook, 31 Figs. 2, 3 and 8, attached to the delivery curb 27 adjacent to itsoutlet,

film reel and magazine (a) is sup orted on said feed-reel bracket 0 as at a in ig. 1 and in Fig. 6, the interaction of the lug 19 on its center pin 17 with said notch 20 of the hub 5 renders the hub non-rotary, with its film outlet 32 directed toward the hinge 3 of the bracket, and the main reel part4 with its lid 9 rotates freely in a horizontal lane around said hub 5, under the tension of the escaping film. The center pin 17 is rendered nonrotary and also adjustable vertically to raise or lower the feed reel by a set screw, 17, Figs. 1 and 6. To interact with the film, ac, Fig. '1, as it is drawn from said outlet 32,- the feed-reel bracket 0 is further provided with a film guide, 33, Figs. 1 and 6, composed of a pair of uprights rigidly attached to the hinge end of said member 2 of the bracket and a pairof rolls turning freely between the u per ends of said uprights. From said rolls 0 the film guide 33 the film, m, Fig. 1, passes to the customary series of toothed feed rolls, 34, 35 and 36, Fig. 1, of the feed mechanism f, and thence between a air of guide rolls, 37, Fig. 1, to said guide roll 6 of the combined film reel and magazine (1)) in the feed-reel position in which it is shown at b in Fig. 1 and in Fig. 7. Compare Fig. 2. In said feed-reel position of the com bined film-reel and magazine (1)) said notch 20 of the hub 5, interacting with the lug 19 of the take-up spindle 18 as aforesaid, compels the .hub to rotate steadily with said s indle in a vertical plane and to wind up the film thereon; theouter end of the film being fastened to the hub by said hook 31 while the main reel part 4 with its lid 9 is fastened by a stud 1n, 38, Fi s. 1, 7 and 9, on the take-u brac et (1, interlocking with a socket, 39, Figs. 2 and 7, in said main reel part and lid or in the former parallel to the axis of the hub 5; said film inlet 6 being thus ,beingdriven by a band, 44, Fig. 1, from a driving pulley, 45, concentric wlth the lowermost toothed roll 36 of the feed mechanism f. x

W hen the film is all in the magazine of the take-up reel (1)), this reel and the empt feed reel and magazine (abare made to exc ange laces, the end of the film (m) is disengaged rom the hook 31 and threaded through the film guide 33, the feed mechanism f, the filni s 7 and 8 at the inlet passage 6 of what is then the feed reel and magazine (1)), around the hub 5 of the latter to its ta ered roll 24 and thence in contact with its elivery rolls 25 and 26 and through its film outlet 32 to its hook 31 preparatory to the succeeding operation. The hub lid 28 is thrown back, as in dotted lines in Fig. 6, during the threading of the film, and after drawin the film between the rolls 24 and 25 it is on y necessary to insert it ed ewise in the outlet 31 in contact with the rol 26.

The combined film reel and ma azine (a) and the feed-reel bracket 0 may e substituted for the feed-reel, feed-reel magazine and feed-reel bracket describedin said previous specification forming part of my application Serial No. 444089; or, in other words,

the improved film-reel and magazine may be used exclusively in its feed-reel position (a) and the take-up reel may be of the construction and mode of operation set forth in said previous specification. In this case the lid 9 of the combined film-reel and magazine would be opened and the film transferred to theopen to ped main reel part 4 from the take-up reel as set forth in said previous specification. In a combined film reel and magazine intended to be so used the film passage 6 and trap rolls 7 and 8 would be omitted.

The number and construction of the rolls in the hub 5 of the combined film reel and magazine may be varied; the fastenings 11 and 30 and like details may be of any known or improved make; and other like modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention, and desire to patent under this s ecification:

1. A com ined film reel and fireproof magazine for kinetoscopes, including a pan-shaped main reel part and a central hub within said mam part, rotatable with reference to each other, said hub being constructed with a film outlet, and an annular lid surrounding said knit; and interacting with said main part and 2.. A combined film reel and ma azine for kinetoscopes adapted to be used alternately as a feed reel and as a take-up reel, the same including a pan-shaped main reel partand a central hub within said main part rotatable with reference to each other and an annular lid interacting with said main part and hub, and provided with film passages in a projecting portion of said hub and in the rim of said main part res ectively and suitable flame traps at said fi m assages.

3. A combined ilm reel and magazine for kinetoscopes adaptedto be used alternately as a feed reel and as a take-up reel, the same including a pan-shaped main reel part and a central hub within said main part rotatable with reference to each other and an annular lid interacting with said main part and hub,

and provided with film passages in a projecting portion of said hub and in the rim of said main part respectively, flame traps at said film assages, and means for fastening the end of the film at the film passage of the hub.

4. The combination, in a combined film reel and magazine, of a an-shaped main reel part, a hub part fast t erein and having a central bore, a hub part including a spindle fitted to said bore and having a screwthreaded rear end, a nut interacting with the latter and with the back. of the hub part first named, and an annular lid having ahinge and a fastening at opposite edges and interacting with said main part and with the spindle carrying hub part.

5. The combination, in a combined film reel and magazine, of a pan-shaped main reel part, a hub art fast therein and having a central bore, a iub part including a spindle fitted to said bore and a face plate'constructed with an outwardly projecting marginal curb concentric therewith, and an annular lid attached to said main part and constructed with a flame guard embracing said curb.

6. The combination, in a continuous film kinetoscope, of a feed-reel bracket, an external film guide, a combined film reel and magazine having a pan-shaped main part rotatable in ahorizontal lane, a non-rotary hub located centrally Wit in said main part and provided with a eripheral series of rolls to contact with the Im at its inner coil, ineluding a tapered roll, an oblirpie delivery roll adjacent to said tapered rol and a projecting portion terminating in the film outlet and containing a free ended delivery roll at said outlet, and means for rendering the magazine flame tight including an annular lid attached to said main part and a lid rendering said projecting portion of the hub normally closed excepting the film outlet.

7. The combination, 111 a continuous film/ kinetoscope, of a take-up bracket, a combined film reel and magazine having a cc tral hub rotatable in a vertical plane and provided with means for fastening the inner end of the film thereto, a concentric panshaped main part having a film inlet in its rim and means for rendering the magazine flame tight'including an annular lid attached to said main part.

8. The combination, in a continuous film kinetoscope, of a combined film reel and magazine having a central hub rotatable in a vertical plane and provided with means for fastening the inner end of the film thereto, a non-rotary pan-shaped main art having a film inlet in its rim, and a soc ret parallel to the axis of said hub, an annular lid attached to said main part, having a horizontal spindle on which said hub is mounted and a studpin parallel with said spindle to interlock with said socket.

9. The combination with the feed mechanism, in a continuous film kinetoscope, of a feed reel bracket having a verticalcenter pin and a film guide parallel therewith, a combined film reel and magazine supported by said bracket and including a non-rotary hub mounted on said pin and provided with a projecting portion containing the film outlet, a concentric pan-shaped main part freely rotatable in a horizontal plane-and means for rendering the feed magazine flame tight, a take-up bracket having a horizontal spindle,

a combined film reel and magazine including v a hub mounted on said spindle and rotatable therewith in a-vertical plane, a non-rotary pan-shaped main part concentric Wlth said spindle and hub and having a film lnlet in its run and means'l'or rendering the take-up magazine flame tight, and means for trans mitting motion to said s indle from said feed mechanism, substantia ly as hereinbefore specified.

CHARLES B. GILLESPIE.

Witnesses: i'

A. A. WERNER, MYRTLE B. GILLESPIE. 

